词源字典 Q.doc

Q 16th letter of the classical Roman alphabet, from the Phoenician equivalent of Heb. koph, which was used for the more guttural of the two k sounds in Semitic. The letter existed, but was little used and not alphabetized, in Gk.; the stereotypical connection with -u- began in Latin. Anglo-Saxon scribes adopted the habit at first, but later used spellings with cw- or cu-. The qu- pattern returned to Eng. with the Norman Conquest. Scholars use -q- alone to transliterate Sem. koph (e.g. Quran, Qatar, Iraq). In Christian theology, Q has been used since 1901 to signify the hypothetical source of passages shared by Matthew and Luke, but not in Mark; probably it is an abbreviation of Ger. Quelle source. Q.E.D. 1760, abbrev. of L. quod erat demonstrandum which was to be demonstrated. q.t. slang for quiet, attested from 1884. qua as, in the capacity of, 1647, from L. qua, abl. sing. fem. of qui who, from PIE *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns (cf. O.E. hwa who, hwt what; Goth. hvas who; Gk. posos how much?). quaalude 1965, proprietary name (trademark by Wm. H. Rohrer Inc., Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) of methaqualone. quack (v.) to make a duck sound, 1617, quelke, of echoic origin (cf. M.Du. quacken, O.C.S. kvakati, L. coaxare to croak, Gk. koax the croaking of frogs, Hitt. akuwakuwash frog). M.E. on the quakke (14c.) meant hoarse, croaking. quack (n.) medical charlatan, 1638, short for quacksalver (1579), from Du. kwaksalver, lit. hawker of salve, from M.Du. quacken to brag, boast, lit. to croak (see quack (v.) + zalf salve. Cf. Ger. Quacksalber, Dan. kvaksalver, Swed. kvacksalvare. quadrangle c.1430, from O.Fr. quadrangle (13c.), from L.L. quadrangulum four-sided figure, prop. neut. of L. adj. quadrangulus having four quarters, from L. quattuor four + angulus angle. The shortened form quad for quadrangle of a college, is first recorded 1820 in Oxford slang. quadrant 1398, a quarter of a day, six hours, from L. quadrantem (nom. quadrans) fourth part, prop. prp. of quadrare to make square, from quadrus a square, from quattuor four (see quart). Sense of measuring instrument is first recorded c.1400, so called because it forms a quarter circle. quadraphonic 1969, irregular formation from quadri- four + phonic. The goal was to reproduce front-to-back sound distribution in addition to side-to-side stereo. quadratic 1656, square, from quadrate (1398), from L. quadratus square, pp. of quadrare to square, related to quattuor four. Quadratic equations (1668) so called because they involve the square of x. quadrilateral (n.) 1650, from L. quadrilaterus, from quadri- four + latus (gen. lateris) side (see oblate (n.). quadrille 1773, lively square dance for four couples, from Fr. quadrille, originally one of four groups of horsemen in a tournament (a sense attested in Eng. from 1738), from Sp. cuadrilla, dim. of cuadro four-sided battle square, from L. quadrum a square, related to quattuor four. The craze for the dance hit England in 1816, and it underwent a vigorous revival late 19c. among the middle classes. Earlier a popular card game for four hands (1726). Quadrille began to take the place of ombre as the fashionable card game about 1726, and was in turn superseded by whist. OEDquadrillion 1674, from Fr. quadrillion (16c.) from quadri- four + (m)illion. Cf. billion. In Great Britain, the fourth power of a million (1 followed by 24 zeroes); in the U.S., the fourth power of a thousand (1 followed by 15 zeroes). quadriplegic (adj.) 1921, a medical hybrid coined from L. prefix quadri- four + -plegic, as in paraplegic, ult. from Gk. plege stroke, from root of plessein to strike. A correct, all-Gk. form would be *tessaraplegic. The noun is first attested 1958, from the adj. quadroon 1707, offspring of a white and a mulatto, from Sp. cuarteron (used chiefly of the offspring of a European and a mestizo), from cuarto fourth, from L. quartus (see quart), so called because he or she has one quarter African blood. Alt. by infl. of words in quadr-. quadruped 1620 (implied in quadrupedal), from Fr. quadrupde, from M.Fr., from L. quadrupes (gen. quadrupedis) four-footed, a four-footed animal, from quadri- four + pes foot. The adj. is attested from 1741. quadruple (v.) 1375, from L. quadruplare make fourfold, from quadruplus (n.) quadruple, from quadri- four + -plus fold. Quadruplets four children in one birth is first recorded 1787. The abbreviation of it to quad is first attested 1851. quaff (v.) 1520 (implied in quaffer), perhaps onomatopoeic, or perhaps from Low Ger. quassen to overindulge (in food and drink), with -ss- misread as -ff-. The noun is from 1579. quagga 1785, from Afrikaans (1710), from the name for the beast in a native language, perhaps Hottentot quacha, probably of imitative origin. In modern Xhosa, the form is iqwara, with a clicking -q-. The last one died in an Amsterdam zoo in 1883. quagmire 1579, from obsolete quag bog, marsh + mire. Quag is a variant of M.E. quabbe a marsh, bog, from O.E. *cwabba shake, tremble (like something soft and flabby). Extended sense of difficult situation, inextricable position is first recorded 1775. quahog 1753, from an Algonquian language, perhaps Narragansett poquauhock or Pequot pquaghhaug hard clam. quai 1870, from Fr. quai (see quay). Often short for Quai DOrsay, street on the south bank of the Seine in Paris, site of the Fr. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sometimes used metonymically for it (1922). quail (n.) c.1300, quayle, from O.Fr. quaille, perhaps via M.L. quaccula (cf. Prov. calha, It. quaglia, O.Sp. coalla), from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. quahtala quail, Ger. Wachtel), imitative of the birds cry. Or the Eng. word may be directly from Gmc. Slang meaning young attractive woman first recorded 1859. quail (v.) to lose heart, to shrink, c.1440, of unknown origin, perhaps from M.Du. quelen to suffer, be ill, from P.Gmc. *kwel- to die (see quell). Or from obsolete quail to curdle (1398), from O.Fr. coailler, from L. coagulare (see coagulate). Sense of cower is attested from 1555. Common 1520-1650, then rare until 19c.; apparently revived by Scott. quaint c.1225, cunning, proud, ingenious, from O.Fr. cointe pretty, clever, knowing, from L. cognitus known, pp. of cognoscere get or come to know well (see cognizance). Sense of old-fashioned but charming is first attested 1795, and could describe the word itself, which had become rare after c.1700 (though it soon recovered popularity in this secondary sense). Chaucer used quaint and queynte as spellings of cunt in Canterbury Tales (1386), and Andrew Marvell may be punning on it similarly in To His Coy Mistress (1650). quake (v.) O.E. cwacian quake, tremble, chatter (of teeth), related to cweccan to shake, swing, move, vibrate, of unknown origin with no certain cognates outside Eng. Perhaps somehow imitative. The noun is attested from c.1300, but was rare except in combinations. Quaker 1651, said to have been applied to them in 1650 by Justice Bennett at Derby, from George Foxs admonition to his followers to tremble at the Word of the Lord; but the word was used earlier of foreign sects given to fits of shaking during religious fervor, and that is likely the source here. Either way, it was never an official name of the Religious Society of Friends. Quaker gun (1809, Amer.Eng.) was a log painted black and propped up to look from a distance like a cannon. qualify 1465, to invest with a quality, from M.L. qualificare attribute a quality to, from L. qualis of what sort + facere to make (see factitious). Sense of be fit for a job first appeared 1588. Qualification in the sense of limitation, restriction is from 1543. quality c.1290, from O.Fr. qualite (12c., Fr. qualit), from L. qualitatem (nom. qualitas; said to have been coined by Cicero to translate Gk. poiotes), from qualis of what sort, from PIE pronomial base *kwo- (see qua). Noun phrase quality time first recorded 1977. Quality of life is from 1943. Quality control first attested 1935. qualm O.E. cwealm (W.Saxon) death, disaster, plague, utcualm (Anglian) utter destruction, related to cwellan to kill, cwelan to die (see quell). Sense softened to feeling of faintness 1530; meaning uneasiness, doubt is from 1553; that of scruple of conscience is 1649. A direct connection between the O.E. and modern senses is wanting, but it is nonetheless plausible, via the notion of fit of sickness. The other suggested etymology, less satisfying, is from Du. kwalm steam, vapor, mist, which also may be ult. from the same Gmc. root as quell. quandary 1579, state of perplexity, of unknown origin, perhaps a quasi-Latinism based on L. quando when. quantify c.1840, as a term in logic, from M.L. quantificare, from L. quantus how much + facere to make (see factitious). Lit. sense of determine the quantity of, measure is from 1878. quantity c.1325, from O.Fr. quantite (Fr. quantit), from L. quantitatem (nom. quantitas, coined as a loan-translation of Gk. posotes) relative greatness or extent, from quantus how much, from quam how, how much. quantum 1619, ones share or portion, from L. quantum how much, neut. sing. of quantus how great (see quantity). Introduced in physics by Max Planck, 1900; reinforced by Einstein, 1905. Quantum theory is from 1912; quantum mechanics, 1922; quantum jump is first recorded 1955; quantum leap, 1970. quarantine 1523, period of 40 days in which a widow has the right to remain in her dead husbands house. Earlier (15c.), desert in which Christ fasted for 40 days, from L. quadraginta forty, related to quattuor four (see quart). Sense of period a ship suspected of carrying disease is kept in isolation is 1663, from It. quarantina giorni, lit. space of forty days, from quaranta forty, from L. quadraginta. So called from the Venetian custom of keeping ships from plague-stricken countries waiting off its port for 40 days (first enforced at Ragusa in 1377). The extended sense of any period of isolation is from 1680. quark 1964, applied by U.S. physicist Murray Gell-Mann (b.1929), who said he took it from a nonsense word in James Joyces Finnegans Wake (1939). quarrel (1) angry dispute, 1340, ground for complaint, from O.Fr. querele, from L. querella complaint, from queri to complain, lament. Replaced O.E. sacan. Sense of contention between persons is from 1572. The verb is attested from 1390 in the sense to raise an objection; 1530 with the meaning to contend violently, to fall out. Quarrelsome is from 1596. quarrel (2) square-headed bolt for a crossbow, c.1225, from O.Fr. quarel, from V.L. *quadrellus, dim. of L.L. quadrus (adj.) square, related to quattuor four (see quart). Archaic sense of square or diamond-shaped plane of glass first recorded 1447. quarry (1) what is hunted, c.1320, quirre entrails of deer placed on the hide and given to dogs of the chase as a reward, from Anglo-Fr. quirreie, from O.Fr. cuiriee, altered (by influence of O.Fr. cuir skin, from L. corium hide), from O.Fr. core viscera, entrails, from V.L. *corata entrails, from L. cor heart. Sense of anything chased in hunt is first recorded 1615; earlier bird targeted by a hawk or other raptor (1486). quarry (2) where rocks are excavated, c.1400, from M.L. quarreria (1266), lit. place where stones are squared, from L. quadrare to square (see quadrant). The verb is attested from 1774. quart c.1325, one-fourth of a gallon, from O.Fr. quarte a fourth part (13c.), from L. quarta (pars), from fem. of quartus fourth, related to quattuor four, from PIE base *kewtwor- (see four). quarter (n.) c.1300, one-fourth of anything, from O.Fr. quartier (12c.), from L. quartarius fourth part, from quartus fourth (see quart). Earliest sense is parts of the body as dismembered during execution (1297). Used of the moon from c.1400 and the hour from 1599. The coin is peculiar to U.S., first recorded 1783. Meaning region, locality is from c.1300. Meaning portion of a town (identified by the class or race of people who live there) is first attested 1526. The verb meaning to cut in quarters is recorded from c.1430. Quarter days (1480), when rents were paid and contracts and leases began or expired, were, in England, Lady day (March 25), Midsummer day (June 24), Michaelmas day (Sept. 29), and Christmas day (Dec. 25); in Scotland, keeping closer to the pagan Celtic calendar, they were Candlemas (Feb. 2), Whitsunday (May 15), Lammas (Aug. 1), and Martinmas (Nov. 11). Quarter horse, bred strong for racing on quarter-mile tracks, first recorded 1834; quarterback (n.) in U.S. football is from 1879; the verb is first attested 1945. Monday morning quarterback originally was pro football player slang for sportswriters, attested from 1932. quarters military dwelling place, 1591, from quarter (n.) in sense of portion of a town. The military sense is in quartermaster (1442) and may be behind the phrase give (no) quarter (1611), on the notion of to provide a prisoner with shelter. The verb quarter to put up soldiers is recorded from 1594. quarterstaff c.1550, stout pole, six to eight feet long, tipped with iron, formerly a weapon used by the Eng. peasantry. The exact sense of quarter is uncertain here; it may be from a tree of a certain size cut into quarters. quartet 1773, musical composition for four instruments or voices, from Fr. quartette, from It. quartetto, dim. of quarto fourth, from L. quartus fourth. Meaning set of four singers or musical performers is from 1814. quartile 1450, from M.Fr. quartil, from M.L. quartilus of a quartile, from L. quartus fourth. quarto 1475, from M.L. in quarto in the fourth (part of a sheet of paper), from quarto, abl. sing. of L. quartus fourth (see quart). quartz 1756, from Ger. Quarz rock crystal, from M.H.G. twarc, probably from a W.Slavic source (cf. Czech tvrdy, Polish twardy quartz), from O.C.S. tvrudu hard. quasar 1964, from quas(i-stell)ar radio source (1963). quash to make void, annul, crush, c.1330, from O.Fr. quasser to break, smash, from L. quassare to shatter, frequentative of quatere to shake (pp. quassus). Meaning suppress is from M.L. quassare make null and void, from L. cassus empty, void, influenced by quassare. quasi 1485, from L., as if, from quam as much as + si if. quasimodo Low Sunday, 1706, Quasimodo Sunday, from L. quasi modo, first words of introit for the first Sunday after Easter: quasi modo geniti infantes as newborn babes (1 Pet. ii:2). The hunchback in Victor Hugos novel was supposed to have been abandoned as an infant at Notre Dame on this day. quaternary c.1430, consisting of four parts, from L. quaternarius of four each, from quaterni four each, from quater four times, related to quattuor four. In geological sense, attested from 1843, proposed 1829 by Fr. geologist Jules Pierre Franois Stanislas Desnoyers (1800-1887) as name for the fourth great epoch of geological time, but since it only comprises the age of man, and the other epochs are many hundred times longer, not all accepted it. quatrain 1585, from M.Fr. quatrain four-line stanza, from O.Fr. quatre four, from L. quattuor four. quattrocento 1875, the fifteenth century as a period in art and architecture, from It., lit. four hundred, short for mille quattrocento one thousand four hundred. quaver (v.) to vibrate, tremble, 1430, probably frequentative of cwavien to tremble, shake (c.1225), probably related to Low Ger. quabbeln tremble, possibly of imitative origin. Meaning sing in trills or quavers first recorded 1538. The noun meaning musical note is first recorded 1570. quay 1696, variant of M.E. key wharf (1306), from O.N.Fr. cai (O.Fr. chai) sand bank, from Gaulish caium (5c.), from O.Celt. *kagio- to encompass, enclose (cf. Welsh cae fence, hedge, Cornish ke hedge), cognate with O.E. haga hedge (see hedge). Spelling altered by infl. of Fr. quai, from the same Celtic source. quean young, robust woman, O.E. cwene woman, also female serf, hussy, prostitute (cf. portcwene public woman), from P.Gmc. *kwenon (cf. O.S. quan, O.H.G. quena, O.N. kona, Goth. qino wife, woman); see queen. Popular 16c.-17c. in sense hussy. Sense of effeminate homosexual is recorded from 1935, esp. in Australian slang. queasy 1459, coysy, possibly from O.N. kveisa boil, perhaps influenced by Anglo-Fr. queisier, from O.Fr. coisier to wound, hurt, make uneasy, from the same Gmc. root as kveisa. But history is obscure and evidences of development are wanting. Quebec Fr. Canadian, from Micmac (Algonquian) /kepe:k/ strait, narrows. Quechua 1840, from Sp., from Quechua kechua plunderer, destroyer. Indian people of Peru and surrounding regions. queen O.E. cwen queen, female ruler of a state, woman, wife, from P.Gmc. *kwoeniz, ablaut variant of *kwenon (source of quean), from PIE *gwen- woman, wife supposedly originally honored woman (cf. Greek gyn a woman, a wife; Gaelic bean woman; Skt. janis a woman, gn wife of a god, a goddess; Avestan jainish wife; Armenian kin woman; O.C.S. zena, O.Pruss. genna woman; Goth. qino a woman, wife; qns a queen). English seems unique in I.E. in having a word for queen that is not a fem. derivative of the one for king. The original sense seems to have been wife, specialized by O.E. to wife of a king. Used of chess piece from 1440, of playing card from 1575. Of bees from 1609 (until late 17c., they generally were thought to be kings; cf.